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Education Director, Whatcom Intergenerational High School
Are you interested in changing the way young people learn and how we “do” school? If yes, WIHS is interested in getting to know you.
Position Starts: July 1, 2022
Whatcom Intergenerational High School (WIHS) is seeking an Education Director to lead our innovative public charter high school in Whatcom County. We currently serve a culturally diverse student body of 50 students in grades 9 and 10 and you will join our start-up team as we grow to become a small school of 110 students in Grades 9-12 over the next two years. You will lead our committed and passionate team to ensure that all students’ academic, cultural, social, emotional, physical and spiritual learning is supported by teachers, allies/elders and Traditional Providers (knowledge keepers who have a background in their own cultural history, governance, and language).
Our strategic vision is to offer a unique learning environment designed with students and supported by elders to ensure every young person—regardless of their life circumstances—is educated for success in school, career, and life and able to create a more just and sustainable world. We seek candidates who have a deep commitment to equity and who bring diverse life and learning experiences, including race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender
expression.
Academic Goals; All students:
- Are prepared to succeed in a postsecondary education option.
- Plan and engage their future goals through meaningful interactions with staff and elders/allies regarding their High School and Beyond Plan.
- Make yearly progress toward mastery on their phenomenon-based learning goals, standards aligned competencies, and state testing.
- Acquire social, emotional, cultural, and physical dispositions for enjoying a purposeful life by understanding and practicing First Peoples Learning Principles.
- Learn through a Social Justice/Critical Literacy lens across all disciplines to contribute towards a more just and sustainable world.
Duties:
We are seeking a flexible and experienced leader to join our team who is committed to learning, equity, and social change. The WIHS Education Director will bring logistical skill in fulfilling the following duties:
- Hold an unwavering commitment to equity while implementing the WIHS mission and vision and overall curriculum framework including WA Commission performance framework and specific mission-aligned goals (Phenomenon-based learning, critical literacy and intergenerational
learning), and First Peoples Principles of learning, https://www.intergenerational.school/first-people-principles-of-learning/ - Oversee the school calendar and schedule and align to WIHS model; design and implement rubrics, formative, and state assessments with teachers to ensure student growth and achievement.
- Lead our highly qualified team of teachers who are experts at developing learners and passionate about their craft; provide direction and co-create a positive and equity driven school culture with a focus on student academic achievement and success.
- Observe, coach, and assess teachers on a regular basis to ensure that teachers have the support, resources, and training to continuously improve with the goal that students develop in their learning goals, skills, dispositions, and competencies.
- Develop plans and processes to lead teachers in collecting and analyzing a variety of student learning experiences and testing data to drive toward growth and achievement for every student.
- Guide the staff in developing systems and processes for co-designing learning with students.
- Ensure that all staff can implement First Peoples Principles of Learning, circles, and restorative practices to create a culture that is consistent in learning expectations and where all students are supported in their academic, cultural, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual learning goals.
- Develop the year-long and on-going professional development plan aligned to mission/vision, Performance Framework, and WIHS’ core education tenants (Phenomenon Based Learning, Intergenerational Learning, Critical Literacy) that integrates teacher, ally/elder and staff Professional Development needs and requirements.
- Ensure an inclusive and welcoming environment for all families with systems and processes in place for ongoing communication and processes for gathering input from students and diverse stakeholders to create a continuous learning environment based on equitable practices.
- Work closely with the WIHS leadership team to ensure progress toward meeting/exceeding Commission Performance Framework goals.
- Ensure recruitment of a diverse body of learners promoting positive cultural identity and educational development of every student aligned with our commitment to serve the most marginalized and historically underserved students in Whatcom County.
- Work with integrity and passion to hold and model the mission that all students can be successful in high school regardless of their prior preparation or life circumstances.
- Oversee compliance and reporting related to the Commission reporting requirements and Special Education Compliance.
- Report to the WIHS Board of Directors along with the leadership team, teachers, and students.
- Budget responsibilities include working with Joule Partners to ensure annual budgets and a sustainable 5 year budget.
- Manage overall school budget.
- Oversee all reporting to OSPI.
The ideal candidate will:
- Bring a belief in all students’ abilities to learn and grow and commitment to social justice with experiences that reflect the vision and mission of WIHS.
- Demonstrate a minimum of 5 years of excellent teaching experience and 3 + years of educational leadership in K-12 public schools.
- Understand and/or demonstrate knowledge and understanding with Indigenous ways of knowing, 13 Moons, Since Time Immemorial and connection with our Indigenous communities.
- Understand and/or demonstrate critical literacy/social justice and constructivist theories, research, curriculum, and learning and assessment strategies.
- Demonstrate the ability to work with staff to build schoolwide efforts and policies that foster academic, social, cultural, emotional, physical, and spiritual learning.
- Demonstrate success as an instructional leader (i.e., demonstrate high expectations for effective instruction, exceptional instructional methods—multiple approaches and differentiated instruction, strong evidence of reflective practice and creating curriculum that reflects culturally relevant practices rooted in equity).
- Understand and/or demonstrate experience with and the ability to implement and oversee restorative practices that help all students be successful.
- Have experience and ability to set up systems for PLCs, and lead and coach school staff in collecting, analyzing, and evaluating data to improve student achievement.
- Possess effective and adaptive management skills; be able to use a variety of process skills for planning, organizing, and creative problem solving; and demonstrate commitment to First Peoples Principles of Learning in creating a professional learning environment.
- Develop close and positive working relationships with students, parents, staff, and communities of all socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds to create a culture that supports positive learning; sustains achievement; and promotes trust, collaboration, and an ethic of care.
- Work collaboratively with staff to establish a culture, policies, and practices that promote equity, learning, good judgment, and high ethical standards.
- Demonstrate ability to develop and maintain a positive school climate and learning environment in which positive impactful behavior and highly professional behavior are embraced, learning is maximized, and discipline problems are minimal.
- Demonstrate knowledge of state and federal legal and regulatory issues pertaining to education that require compliance; understand the relationship of public policy to education.
- Possess experience in and/or knowledge of managing a budget and resource allocation.
- Possess experience in and/or knowledge of federal education programs (i.e., Title I, II, IV).
Additional consideration will be given to candidates who:
- Are Indigenous, are POC identified, bilingual, and/or have significant experience leading educational success with systemically and historically underserved communities.
- Have secondary and preferably high school teaching experience.
- Demonstrate an understanding and/or experience with WIHS’s learning framework, including phenomenon-based learning, intergenerational learning, critical literacy, culturally sustaining pedagogies, First Peoples Principles of Learning, and restorative practices.
- Demonstrate experience as a highly valued Education Director, Principal or Assistant Principal.
- Hold a Principal or Secondary Administration license.
- Have experience with bargaining units.
Salary range/Start Date:
$115,000 – 125,000 commensurate with experience; Full-benefits package and retirement
Position starts July 1, 2022
Method of Application:
- Please email a cover letter, resume and three (3) letters of professional references to cindy.reuther@intergenerational.school
- Please submit all documents as PDF.
Affirmative Action Policy:
Whatcom Intergenerational High School will not deny anyone the opportunity for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, marital status, the presence of any sensory, physical or mental disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.